Wild Girl
by roseflorintine
Summary: What if Numair had found Daine while she was still wild? DISCONTINUED, ADOPTED.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hi! This is a bit different, since it's an Immortals, by Tamora pierce fanfic, but I will try my best on this! Oh, and if you are reading this story, **LEAVE A REVIEW!**

Disclaimer: I'm working on the bribe that will buy me the books, but meanwhile, it's **NOT MINE! **

Prologue

Numair wandered in the forest, just taking the sights. Jon had let him have a break, and he was going to study the wilderness of Galla, starting with this little forest, miles from the small town of Snowsdale. He smiled, remembering their attempts to keep him from the forest. "There's a demon girl there!" they swore. "She rules a wolf pack and murders everyone who gets too close."

He smiled again shaking his head; villagers and their superstition.

AN: Alright, kinda short, but it's just the first chappie. Please leave a review!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you ZuliaGirl for reviewing. Now, I've checked my stats, and I know that people are reading this. If you don't like, flame it. If you like, praise it, but don't just leave without a review! Oh, and to those who are reading, please submit some recommendations of good works of fanfiction.

Disclaimer: I'm not Tammy Pierce, sorry to disappoint you.

_This chapter is dedicated to ZuliaGirl._

**Daine POV **

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of gray eyes was gazing at him through the bushes. It was a girl. She was naked, with matted brown hair and a feral snarl. Her mind had become as animalistic as it could. She ran on all fours, ante meat raw, and had lost the ability to even speak properly, knowing only the language of the wolves. But some tiny part of her human mind was still there, buried in the swaths of wild magic that she had. That part begged to be let out, to make her human again. So far, it had only succeeded in keeping her basic knowledge of how to use a dagger. She grinned, thinking about how the bandits had screamed. They had killed her pack, and they had paid. She had a new pack, with Russet, Brokefang, Rattail, and many more. She still had cloud. Who needed two-leggers? They cruel, greedy, and murderers. She contemplated killing this one; it would be one more murderer scrubbed off the face of the world. Yet that part of her still remembered loving her Ma and Grandpa. They had been good, hadn't they, and they were most assuredly human. Then she thought about the bandits, and how they had killed everything, even the chickens and the horses. She crouched, in a dilemma. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and landed on a twig with a resounding _crack_. The lanky two-legger whipped around, staring straight at her.

**Numair POV**

He whipped around, and came to face a girls face, snarling at him savagely. He gaped in amazement. The girl's face was framed with thick ropes of copper fire, making her face glow in his magical vision. Could it be wild magic, the one magic that he had searched for years to test it. Could this girl in the middle of... well nowhere, contain this huge amount of wild magic? She raised her head, and issued one loud noise. He realized it was a yip, and five dark forms raced out to surround her protectively. Each wolf snarled, hackles bristling as they showed teeth, warning him off. A steady trotting also sounded, and a gray mare also walked towards the girl, and nuzzled her, apparently unconcerned about the fiercely growling wolves around her feet. Then before he could blink, the girl swung herself on the pony's back and the group charged off. He was left standing there, still thinking about those tendrils of copper fire, and resigned himself to stay in Snowsdale for long time.

AN: One last thing, I'm a sucker for fluff. So expect this to be fluffy. Now, do you want DN or D- someone else? And could someone tell me how many wolves there are? I don't have to books with me, so I can't check the books.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Yay! More reviews! It seems that some people are reading this, so I shall continue. Btw, I have two people by the name Toria of Raven's Alley and Bloody'Candy'Addict', who put this on favorite stories, but never left a comment. Toria of Raven's Alley and Bloody'Candy'Addict, please leave a review. Meanwhile, thank you QueenAnneMagic and Kiki1forest for giving reviews. I dedicate this chapter to you two.

Disclaimer: *Sniffle* Why does everyone rub in my face that I don't own the books? *Runs away sobbing*

Chapter 2

"Wait, wait, Numair, slow down," Alanna's voice echoed from the tiny ball of black and white fire he held cupped in his palms. "What is wild magic?"

"It's a very rare type of magic that basically is related to animals. Ouna has a bit of it, as does Sarge, but this girl is brimming with it! Ouna and Sarge are only good with horses, but this girl would probably be good with all animals, and maybe even able to bend them to her will! And…" He rambled on and on as Alanna listened in silent amusement. Finally she interrupted. "Well, then," She said. "Maybe you should stop this yapping and try to help the girl! You know how cold winter is in Galla, and that girl has no clothes."

Shaken out of his scholarly reverie, he nodded, a blushing staining his swarthy complexion.

Meanwhile, Daine was telling the pack about the lanky two legger. (AN: Let's pretend she can sort of understand animals already.)

_So this two legger saw you?_ Brokefang questioned. Daine nodded slowly.

_I say she goes with him!_ Frostfur snarled viciously.

_Frostfur!_ Chided Rattail, nuzzling Daine comfortingly. _Don't talk like that!_

_What? It's true! A two legger belongs with his or her kind._ Frostfur challenged.

_Have you no brain?_ Rattail asked._ She is People on the inside, two legger on the outside._

_No._ Frostfur whined. _It can't be!_

_You can sense it inside of her. She is part of us; the winged, the scaled, the furred. She is in all of us._ Rattail growled, stating the truth that Frostfur desperately did not want to hear. With a savage snarl, Frostfur whirled off, a blur of yellowish white fur.

_You know, as harsh as she was, Frostfur mas a point._ Brokefang stated.

Daine and Rattail looked at him with horror. _Let me finish._ He said soothingly. _Daine is indeed a two legger, though People on the inside. However, a wolf must run with her pack. Daine must learn to trust her own kind._

Daine just stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. _Daine,_ He said sternly._ You must do this._

Slowly, reason began to take place in her thoughts. Hadn't Ma and Granda been wonderful? And Lemi—another midwife in a nearby village who always had a kind word—along with so many more. For the first time, she realized that hate had blinded her. The bandits had taken away the people she loved the most, and brutally too. She had forgotten about all those people in the other villages who would always try to offer up a compliment or some advice. She sighed. _Darn wolves. They're fair annoying at times. Annoying, but wise. _She sighed. "Fine. I'll go to the stupid lanky two legger."

The wolves each gave a sort of nod by bobbing their heads. Abruptly, Brokefang lunged ant sharply nipped her left paw, and Rattail the right. Shocked, she rose up on her hind feet. _You'll need to get used to walking like that._ Brokefang declared in a voice that brooked no argument. She sighed. "Fine."


	4. Chapter 4

AN: More reviews! I had an itsy bitsy typo in the last chappie. It's not SARGE who has wild magic, it's Stefan. Thanks ZuliaGirl for telling me! Now, only one person dropped a suggestion on what fanfictions to read. I depend on fanfiction stories for inspiration and to understand how to write better. But overall, thank you for reviewing. And please drop a review and suggestion of good works of fanfiction.

roseflorintine: I own you Numy!

Numair: Uh… no you don't.

roseflorintine: Yes I do!

Daine: Back off, girl! He's MINE!

roseflorintine: I haven't gotten you together yet, silly. But fine *sighs* I don't own the delicious Numy or any other character that you recognize from the books as sad as that is…

Chapter 3

Numair was on yet another one of his walks, hoping to spot the girl with wild magic. A rustling sounded behind him and he once again whipped around. The girl was there, and he faintly sensed that something was different. It took him a moment, but he finally realized what it was: she was standing on two feet and that eerie light behind her eyes that held a beast had dimmed. Beside her was a pony with her ears laid back, as if to say, _You hurt her and you better hope that limbs regrow._ She opened her mouth, and a noise came out. She coughed and another noise came forth. She coughed again and said in a cracking voice, "I want to come with you."

He blinked, unbelieving. He had been trying to find her for days, and here she was, telling him that she was coming with him. "What?" he asked. She sighed, and said, "Are you fair daft? I'm coming with you." After a moment's thought, she also said, "Not because I wanted to, mind you, but apparently I have to get along with two leggers."

Snapping out of his shock, he went to practical at once. "Well, looks like I'll have to use a bit of magic to downsize some of my clothes, but we'll get some real clothes later."

She looked at him in shock. She had expected him to demand that she pay back the money later or something. Taking advantage of her momentary shock; Numair wrapped his robe around her small frame and sat her on Cloud. He led her through a rarely used path in the gardens behind the inn and got her in his room to size down his clothes. Throughout this, Daine just stood silently, eyes darting around as she took note of her surroundings. As she started to lead her out the door, she suddenly jerked to a stop. "Where are we going?" She asked, fear evident in her words.

"Why, to go and get some proper clothes for you of course." Numair replied. Her reaction shocked him. She shook her head stubbornly and tried to go back inside.

"What's wrong? We're just going to Mark's Tailors to get some clothes." He asked, more puzzled than frustrated. She started to shake as she shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes spilling over. "Please no! I don't want to see them! They think I'm a demon!"

Daine was openly shivering by now, her blue gray eyes wide with terror. Outside, all the birds and animals were getting shifty, eyes darting nervously, wondering what was wrong. Reaching out, Numair gently grasped her hand, saying, "You need to get over this fear. A person cannot start a new life without making peace without the old one, just as a butterfly must eventually abandon its cocoon."

She shook her head, crying out in a denial, "NO!" and she ran out, a small flock of sparrows billowing behind her in a chattering cloud along with Cloud, who had somehow gotten free.

"It's winter Daine!" He cried pursuing her, but a part of the sparrows following her stayed behind and swirled around him, not hurting him, but blinding him. Finally, when they deemed she had run far enough, they darted away. He shook his head and ran, following the clear footprints in the early winter snows.

Meanwhile Daine was running with a whole hearted determination. In her mind's eye she thought about the horrific event. She had returned home to find spiraling trails of smoke coming from it. She thought about her family, bodies strewn over the floor, clothes torn and spattered with blood. She thought about the animals that had bravely fought to keep what was most precious to her alive. Even the chickens had fought, weak as they were. She thought about her attempts to make some graves. She had scrabbled at the almost frozen ground with her fingers until her nails where bloody. Her human mind had taken over for a bit then and she had used a shovel. She buried her Ma and Granda together. Mentally she reminded herself of how she had buried them: all the horses together, all the chickens together, and so on…except for Mammoth. She had let him rest with her family. He had deserved to, being the one to hold out despite the agonizing pain life, to tell her what had happened. He had died in her lap, choking out the last of the horrible tale.

She glared at open air as she thought of the villagers. Three days. _Three._ Who had brought their children into this world? Who had tended to their hurt? Who tended to the ill? Her Ma, that's who. But it had taken them three days to even come. Just because her Ma had a bastard, they stopped caring. She had thrown rocks at the, screaming for them to leave. They didn't deserve to see her Ma's resting place. She had joined with the wolves and killed those bandits.

As she ran and seethed, she didn't realize how thick the snow was or how close to the edge of the mountain she was. The ledge crumbled beneath her feet as she gave a scream and plummeted to the pure white ground, the sparrows screeching and Cloud neighing frantically.

AN: Ohhhhh cliffy! Literally since Daine just fell of one. Please review(and no hate mail please)!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I am officially congratulating everyone on being so good with reviews! Now, if you would just tell ALL your friends about this fic and let them read it too, I'd really appreciate it. And don't forget to submit story suggestions too!

roseflorintine: Great news! I BOUGHT CLOUD!

Cloud: *Kicks roseflorintine and runs away*

roseflorintine: Or not. *clutches chest in agony, whimpering* I don't own anything except for the plot.

Cloud: *Glares at roseflorintine angrily*

roseflorintine: *Shrinks* And I especially don't own Cloud!

Chapter 4

Numair (being the wise soul he is) had decided that Daine would come back when she wanted to, and not a second sooner. To be honest, he also didn't fancy have his eyes pecked out too. He was sitting on a boulder, eyes foggy as he contemplated yet another experiment. _I wonder if that new special word in Old Thak could do it._ He wondered. _No, that is especially related to plants not—OW!_

A pair of very strong teeth had clamped around his elbow, drawing a bit of blood. He looked up into a pair of obstinate gray eyes (AN: Is that her eye color?) that stared at him. He sighed, "What's wrong? I know Daine is upset, but I'm giving her time to calm down. He was stunned when the pony gave a very slight shake of her head, and clamped her teeth gently on his elbow, then tugged him along forcefully. Only then did he notice how she was shaking very slightly from what he presumed was anxiety. Worried by this sign, he hurried, almost running. Finally they came to a snowy cliff. He just sat there… until he saw the jagged edge. "No," he breathed. "She fell off?"

Cloud stomped her hooves, sending a clear message: _Stop being an idiot and save her or else you'll find yourself with two broken legs._

He snapped back and hurriedly wrapped his black magic around him and Cloud, floating them to the ground. He called out, "Daine, Daine? Where are you?"

When there was no reply, he started yelling, accompanied by Cloud's whinnies. Finally, they found her. She lay in a snow drift, brown curls pale with frost, stubborn chin relaxed. Her side was gashed and still bleeding, turning the snow pink. "No, no Daine." He shook her and was surprised when he felt a surge of overwhelming sadness. Somehow, in the few days they had been together, he had come to care for her dearly. He felt for a heartbeat… there was none.

(AN: I WAS going to stop it here. Be glad I'm such a nice person.)

_Daine looked around at her new settings. She was in front of a dainty cottage. She heard laughter floating from the back, so she walked towards the sounds. A woman who had long blond hair cascading down her back was laughing as she weeded a garden. Beside the woman, a man with chestnut curls and antlers lounged, laughing too. She frowned. His curls looked oddly familiar. With a shock, she realized they were _her_ curls. And the blond woman was her Ma! "Ma? Da?" She called, waving her hand. They turned and their eyes grew wide. "What are you doing here Daine?" Her mother demanded._

_Daine was taken aback by the hostility. "I fell off a cliff Ma. Is this the Black God's realm?"_

_Her mother ran to her, shaking her head. "No, this wasn't supposed happen!" She muttered. "You were supposed to listen to the mage and live a happy life!"_

_Daine said, "Do you mean Numair? I was running from him!"_

_Sarra looked at her little daughter. "Oh Daine, don't you understand?" She cried, running to her and holding Daine's face between her cool hands. "Daine, you need to live life! Numair is here to help you! I wanted you to still be able to live a good life and learn to trust again!"_

I might be able to take the kit back. _A gruff voice interrupted her mother's ramblings. The man with the antlers stepped forward to pull Sarra back as a handsome badger padded up. The badger grumbled a little and deposited a silver caw in her lap. _

Mind you keep up with that._ The badger said._ I'll be using it to visit you. Now, back off to the mortal realms with you, kit, and remember to heed the mage.

_Before she could ask what he meant, he pushed her and she was spinning in a wortex of colors and lights…_

Blinking, she sat up in a snowdrift. "Numair?" her numb lips clumsily forced out. A gasp sounded, and she was swept up into a hug along with a very long scolding from Cloud, though the mare was obviously relieved. She smiled. Maybe life would get better. In her hand, she clutched a silver claw.

AN: 862 words people! I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's an accomplishment for me! Now, since I have a huge bruise on my chest from where the evil pony *cough* Cloud *cough* has kicked me, please leave a review, it shall help me heal. Oh, and another not is that after this, it will mostly be fluff along with Daine adjusting to palace life. A bit of romance can't hurt either…


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Yay, yay more reviews! Thank you ZuliaGirl and spazzysassyangel for reviewing! I'm feeling particularly perky today because I just finished the Song of the Lioness series! Remember, review and submit any good stories you've read!

roseflorintine: I have bought… SIR ALANNA OF TREBOND AND OLAU!

Alanna: I challenge you to a duel! *Pulls out Lightning*

roseflorintine: AHHH! *Runs away*

Chapter 5

Daine gaped in amazement at the grand structure of gray stone. It towered high, two flags flapping majestically in the wind. She gazed, Cloud halting momentarily and Numair too stopped to look up. One flag snapped open, revealing a rearing lioness, declaring the Lioness was there. The other one also snapped open in the wind, revealing a golden crown in a background of blue, stating that King Jonathon of Conte and Queen Thayet of Conte were also in residence. "Majestic, isn't it?" Numair asked, staring at the palace happily.

Daine smiled and nodded. Over the course of the long journey to the royal palace, she and Numair had bonded, becoming close friends. They rode forward, and a voice called out, "Who goes there?"

Numair called, "It's me Alanna! Numair Salmain, black robe mage of Tortall!"

The gates creaked open, and a lady clad in a purple tunic and breeches raced out, giving Numair a hug. As they talked and laughed, a giggle sounded. Alanna looked behind Numair, so see a sight that shocked even her. Daine was kneeling on the ground, various cats, dogs, and mice in a momentary truce. She and all the other animals were gazing at a squeaking mouse. After the mouse obviously finished, a palace cat began telling her his tale. She gasped, and then burst out laughing, listening to his meows. Numair called out, "Daine, are you done? It's almost dusk, and we need to get you inside."

She looked up, revealing huge blue gray eyes that sparkled. She blushed and nodded, ducking her head to whisper a few things to the animals, and they dispersed. Alanna idly fingered her ember stone, and almost yelped when copper fire momentarily appeared around her. Breathing calmly, she grabbed the stone again and the copper fire appeared again. She took a deep breath, deciding to ask Numair later, as Daine was already heading towards them. As she watched, Daine led two horses toward them. Both looked absolutely angelic, but when Alanna reached to help with the gray one, she laid back her ears and backed away.

They went inside and Daine asked her tentatively, "Excuse me? Who are you?"

Alanna turned and smiled broadly, "I'm Alanna."

Daine's eyes grew wide as she dipped into a curtsy, a few curls escaping from her pony tail. She brushed them back with a mutter of annoyance. Alanna laughed and said, "There's no need to curtsy to me. After all, I'm not really all that noble; I work hard and earn my fair share."

Daine nodded again, and a small smile spread slowly across her face and bobbed a nod. This time, the whole ponytail came loose. She muttered a curse. Numair strode forward and got her hair tie as his hands gathered the stubborn locks. "What did we say about the cursing?" He chided.

"Well you're the one who uses all those colorful curses. I learn quickly." She grumbled.

He stopped mid-motion. "Now, now magelet, you shouldn't be rude to your teacher."

Very slowly, he held up the hair tie. Daine turned around, and tried futilely to hop up to grab the hair tie. Alanna stifled a laugh at the sight. Daine's height compared to Numair's was comical. "Numair," Daine finally said, sticking out her bottom lip and letting her blue-gray eyes mist over, "Can you please give me the hair tie?"

One look at that expression was all it took to melt his heart, and he nodded, handing it over. She giggled, ceasing to use that pitiful expression. "Thanks Numair!" She said happily, giving him a peck on the cheek. Grabbing his hand, she towed him towards the palace, the hair tie looped around her wrist. Alanna raised an eyebrow and muttered, "What am I, chopped liver?" but grabbed the horses' reins and led them to the stables, dodging the occasional bite from Cloud.

**Meanwhile**

Jon looked at Numair with interest. "A girl with wild magic, you say?"

Numair nodded enthusiastically. "She has so much of it! For every vein in her body, a thread of wild magic follows it, and the rest spreads out in this halo around her. You see, the nature of wild magic is—"

Thayet politely interrupted him. "Um, why don't you talk about the girl?" She said, and Jon nodded enthusiastically. Everyone who knew him knew how long his lectures could last.

A blush lightly graced his swarthy complexion, and he told them everything, from when he first saw her to when they arrived, giving them the important points. "She fell off a _cliff_ and then came back to _life_?" Jon demanded.

Numair said, "Yes, and I still don't know how she came back, but everyone has secrets. I may have a theory or—"

This time, it was a knock that interrupted him, and Their Royal Highnesses sagged with relief. "Enter." Jon said.

A door cautiously cracked open. The girl had smoky brown curls and wide bluish gray eyes. Three guesses to who it was. Daine blushed and said, "I'm so sorry but I can't find my way—Numair?"

He went over and asked, "What's wrong?"

She blushed even harder and got out, "I can't find my way."

Numair threw back his head and laughed, tugging her out. "I'll help magelet. Come on."

"Stop laughing." She said in outrage. He just laughed harder. She hit his chest lightly, but even she was giggling by now. He swept her up grandly, and she squealed happily, laughing.

Thayet looked after them with thoughtful eyes. "Have you ever seen Numair so happy? I mean, he is always happy, but in a more reserved, scholarly way because of all those books."

Jon looked at her and sighed, "You aren't telling me that you think he's in love?"

Thayet looked offended. "What would be wrong with that?"

"Well, he's almost fourteen years older than her for a start."

"Love has no age limit. Just look at Alanna and George!"

Thayet was completely stubborn in this, and Jon saw. He sighed. "Have fun arranging a ball and making things happen the way you want."

She smiled happily, running out to probably arrange for invitations to be sent.

He sighed. He loved his beautiful wife, but she was so lively, and loved to set people up. But this _would_ be amusing…

AN: Meh. A bit of DN fluff never hurt anybody. Review please! And be proud, this counts as a long one in my book. Now, enter Varice Kingsford, a perfect lady…


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thanks for the reviews! Now, some people say that I am going too fast. To clarify, this is my first time writing a SOTL fic and I'm adjusting right now, so sorry if it seems off; just bring it to my attention. I can understand that you think this might be too fast, but remember the trip to Corus is approximately two weeks long from Galla, so they bonded there. Sorry, but I know next to NOTHING about camping so I was unable to do that part. And to DN lovers, I think I'm going to get them to establish friendly emotions before they start falling in love.

roseflorintine: I stole… Jon!

Jon: Please let me go. *Turns those blue eyes on me.*

roseflorintine: *Melts* Oh fine.

Chapter 6

Numair sighed, sitting in the garden. He had been pushing off this conversation all along the trip to Corus, but it was time Daine knew. From what he gathered, she was totally convinced she had no magic whatsoever, and for some reason refused to believe that she had magic, snapping at him whenever he brought up the subject. But if her magic wasn't brought under control soon, havoc would be wreaked. They learned that when a warhorse had nearly trampled a person protecting Stefan, and with Daine's amount of magic, it would be even worse. A few quiet steps sounded, and he looked up. "What did you need to talk to me about?" Daine asked, eyes curious as she took a seat on the bench.

Numair took a deep breath and said. "You have magic Daine."

She stood up as her eyes abruptly hardened, "I have no magic Numair. My Ma tested me endlessly, and I have no Gift. If I did, I would have seized it, just to make her happy, but I don't."

Before, he would have let her go, seeing the pain that hid behind those icy eyes. Even today, he was tempted to let her go off and calm down, but this had to be done. He reached out and caught her wrist. She turned and spat out, "Let go."

He shook his head. "You don't have the Gift, Daine, but you do have wild magic."

She looked at him, skeptical. "I've never heard of it."

He sighed, tugging her back into her seat as he explained. "Wild magic is a bond with animals that very few humans possess. In this castle, two people possess it, not including you." Here, she raised her eyebrows in question, but he shrugged, planning to tell her later. "A person with wild magic is very special, and like animals, and animals like them. A person with particularly strong wild magic can even communicate with an animal. Others who have weak wild magic simply enjoy animals and have them to help occasionally."

Daine asked inquisitively, "What about me?"

Numair said in a voice that signaled he was about to give her a full covering on the subject, a tone that she had learned to fear, but this time she was actually interested. "You have more wild magic that I've ever encountered, even in the Bankju. I can only speculate, but I suspect you might even understand animals. Of course, the Bankju—"

Daine eyes widened as she took in his words, blocking him out momentarily. She looked up and wondered if her Ma knew all of this. She also wondered who her Da was. Despite her being a bastard, her Ma had loved him. Every time she talked about him, she seemed to glow. Daine had at first assumed he was a married man. But just last year her mother has said he wasn't a married man… the year before she died. Abruptly, Daine felt a strong sense of longing, and directed her attention back to Numair to see his lecture winding down. "—In conclusion, we can safely assume that you already have the normal characteristics, but we need to experiment."

She just nodded, as if she had been paying attention. All of a sudden, a page ran into the gardens, gasping out, "Master Numair, the Queen just wants you to know that a masquerade ball next month, on the twenty-seventh. Mistress Daine too." He also made a sort of half-bow to her.

Numair rolled his eyes in frustration, already thinking about the heavy black robe he was going to have to wear, but the messenger wasn't finished. "She also told me to tell you that Lady Varice Kingsford has arrived."

Numair instantly brightened up, telling Daine, "She's one of my close friends, come on, let's go greet her!"

Daine was forced to trail behind him, wondering who would make him this eager to see them.

AN: Now, review please! **Review! ReViEw! REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks for all the reviews! I just wanted to say that Daine is 15 and Numair is 29. Enjoy the chappie, but it's short.

Chapter 7

Varice was a gorgeous woman in her early thirties, blond, buxom, kind-looking, and wearing a scarlet dress. Upon seeing Numair, she let out an eager squeal and had launched herself onto him, giving him a hug that he returned. Deep inside, Daine felt a very slight stabbing feeling that she immediately stifled. After all, Varice seemed nice enough. She turned, silk fine blond hair fluttering and examining her with a kind expression. "Who are you?" She asked.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri ma'am, but you can call me Daine." She said obediently. She felt her slight liking to this woman diminish as her expression grew surprised for a second, but saw how hard she tried to ignore it, and forgave her. The woman said, "It's nice meeting you, and you can call me Varice."

Daine nodded, and the woman turned, her elaborate dress fluttering, red silk making a light breeze appear. She wondered how the woman could be so _comfortable _in a dress. Shifting in her skirts, she started mentally complaining at the skirts while glaring at them. Thayet walked over and saw her glaring at the offending objects. Smiling she came over, ignoring all the chatter Numair and Varice (or really just Varice; Numair just nodded a lot). She laid a hand on her arm. "You want to get out of those lumbering things?" She asked, nodding at the skirts.

Daine looked at her with an expression akin to scandalized, about to refuse, but then thought about it. She could move around so much easily and even Thayet wore them, right? As a slow smile spread across her lips, she nodded. Thayet nodded briskly, leading her off to the seamstresses, where they bought some ready-made tunics and breeches. Daine relished in not feeling the corsets in dresses and the lightness and flexibility that breeches provided. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She danced off to the stables to brush the horses, telling Thayet thank you as she swung out the door, tiny bell tinkling.

As she sat on a bale of hay, gripping the silver claw and thinking about her ma, she fell asleep.

_Daine woke up in a foggy place. She called out as she stood up, "Anyone here?"_

_A gruff interrupted, "Of course. Sit down you silly kit, I wasn't built to look up."_

_Startled, she dropped to the ground, and came face to face with the largest, most handsome badger she had ever seen. He was a fine creature, with a great silver stripe running from his muzzle to his back. He growled in that same gruff voice, "Now, I wish we had time to get to know each other better, but there is no time." He leaned even closer and she could smell his musky odor. "Trouble has come to your realm and you need to protect it. Trust your new family, and keep your eyes peeled."_

_She nodded, feeling the strength of his command, and opened her mouth to ask about her Da, but he was gone, and the room was dissolving into a silvery mist and she was falling… falling…_

She jerked herself awake and went to get a bath to ponder over this.

Varice lay kneeled over a tiny ball of her own light blue Gift. A voice resonated from the ball. "Now, can you get close to him? Remember, we need all their secrets, so you can't just be a casual lover. You need to be something more."

Varice nodded and said in a quavering voice, "Yes, Master, I'll get close to him."

The voice said in satisfaction, "Good." And disappeared.

She kneeled for a second, her blond hair and body casting odd shadows about the room, before she crushed the ball, long manicured nails digging into her skin. She then stood; going to her closet, contemplating what dress would be form-fitting, yet not too indecent.

AN: Review and suggest stories!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note**

Sorry to all who thought this might be an update. Look, I've been getting no reviews, and all this has come grinding to a halt. So, gingerroot15 has agreed to adopt this. To anyone who even has the faintest shred on interest left of this story, please go see her profile and review for her! I really have enjoyed this and I would appreciate a few last reviews.


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